During the EP plenary session (24-27/10) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate&nbsp;on the Internal Security in the EU - progress made in the implementation of adopted security measures and challenges ahead. Statements by Ivan KORCOK, President-in-office of the Council, Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), Sophia IN'T VELD (ALDE, NL), Cornelia ERNST (GUE/NGL, DE), and Eva JOLY (Greens/EFA, FR).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

fight against terrorism (T)

KING, Julian (UK, EC)

SIPPEL, Birgit (S&D, DE)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

HOHLMEIER, Monika (EPP, DE)

JOLY, Eva (Greens/EFA, FR)

ERNST, Cornelia (The Left, DE)

KORCOK, Ivan (SK)

Internal Security in the EU - progress made in the implementation of adopted security measures and challenges ahead: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, President-in-office of the Council, The Council is highly committed to implementing the renewed internal security strategy for the years 2015-2020, and one of the most important elements is improving information exchange and accessability, especially by ensuring the interoperability of different information systems.The Council in June has endorsed a road-map on information exchange and information management in the Justice and Home Affairs area, and will regularly review its implementation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, President-in-office of the Council, On radicalisation, this must obviously be addressed primarily by the Member States but also in order to be effective by a coordinated support on European level in accordance with the treaties. As a follow-up to the Commission communication of June this year, the education council that will take place in November, will adopt conclusions on preventing radicalisation leading to violent extremism.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, President-in-office of the Council, on irregular migratory flows which is also very important I think in the current context of the migratory crisis, the Council has in particular via the politically integrated crisis response mechanism worked intensively with relevant member states the Commission and EU agencies to enure an adequate response to the possible abuse of refugee and migration routes by terrorists.

SOUNDBITE (English), Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, We need to act simultaneously on two fronts; first, to close down the space in which terrorists and criminals operate, and to deny them the means they use, money, munitions, movement. This also includes working on prevention of terrorism and working on counter-radicalisation. Second, to build our resilience. To strengthen our informations systems by making them more joined up, and to reinforce our critical infrastructure, particulary our transport, energy and cyber security which is too often targeted by terrorists and criminals.

<p>SOUNDBITE (English), Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, We have to fight ideas with ideas. Identifying and taking down terrorist propaganda is vital as has been said, but developing persuasive counter-narratives that offer a clear alternative vision, backed up by opportunities and incentives, is the only way of tapping into the same idealism which radicalisation exploits. We have to target the people the recruiters are targetting, and offer them a differnt and better path. That means education, employment and inclusion.</p>

SOUNDBITE (German), Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), What has constantly concerned me, because I have been able to observe the negotiations, when it comes to the terrorism directive I think is the difficulty is when Member States enter into commitment on exchange of information for example, there is a commitment to exchange relevant information, that is a an obligation incumbent on member states but they are very hesitant.

SOUNDBITE (German), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), Therefore we need need urgent measures to be taken, yet we are being called upon to do something new. For example, PNR data, how important was that. At the moment, 11 Member States are not in a position to comply with the transposition deadline of 2018.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), Human intelligence - people on the ground. And I think the  situation in Belgium and the investigation that they did has shown that the real problem is insufficient capacity. So rather than spending zillions on megalomaniac IT systems, we should be investing in people on the ground.

SOUNDBITE (German), Cornelia ERNST (GUE/NGL, DE), What you have reported is neither new nor does it represent a system, you have no strategy when it comes to internal security. Because as a minimum requirement it supposes the evaluation of already existing security instruments seeing whether they are efficient and successful.

SOUNDBITE (French), Eva JOLY (Greens/EFA, FR), Last spring we were told that it was urgent to adopt the PNR, and we were told that anything else would be irresponsible, but it seems that no Member State has made any advances in the implementation thereof.